Murder on the Orient Express | | Cast : | Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Sean Connery, Anthony Perkins | | Director : | Sidney Lumet | | Studio : | Paramount Home Video | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby | | Released Date : | November 24, 1974 | | DVD Released Date : | September 07, 2004 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), French (Dubbed), English (Original Language), French (Original Language), English (Subtitled) | | Audience Rating : | PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | June 28, 2005 | | Summary | One to watch over and over | Content
 | I first saw this as a teen in the mid-'70s. Now in my mid-forties, I can still sit down and watch this magnificent movie. And who cares about over-acting ... these are larger than life characters played by larger than life actors. I thought every performance was flawless. My mother loved this movie when she finally saw it, and my daughter is now hooked on it. Three gens of Agatha fans give this movie a solid 5 stars. |
| Rating | | | Date | May 20, 2005 | | Summary | Can't imagine a worse Poirot | Content
| I was totally repulsed by Albert Finney in the role of Poirot. He had absolutely none of the characteristics of Christie's Poirot...none. Did the director ever read a Christie? Finney brought no dignity to the role at all. All I could think of during the movie was how inappropriate the casting of Poirot was. I even began to dread every appearence of Finney!!
About the rest of the movie: So many good actors...so little direction. Too much earnestness brought into the role resulted in quite a bit of over-acting. Particularly from Wendy Hiller (Princess Dratwhatshername and from one of my favorite actresses Ingrid Bergmann. Even Sean could do with better direction.
I stuck with the movie because it was a Christie. A waste of 2 good hours. |
| Rating | | | Date | May 15, 2005 | | Summary | This Train is Bound for Gory ... | Content
| Movie: ****1/2 DVD Transfer: *** Extras: ****
Director Sidney Lumet's lavish film adaptation of an Agatha Christie mystery is a fascinating entertainment thanks to a clever script, outstanding cinematography, a lush musical score, breathtaking costumes, eye-popping editing, and above all else, the delicious performances of a once-in-a-lifetime all-star cast. Although die-hard fans of Christie's celebrated fictional detective Hercule Poirot may take issue with leading man Albert Finney's liberal characterization, Finney does in fact perform a highly demanding and technically difficult role with verve and conviction. His minor tour de force is supported ably by such celebrated stars of stage and screen as Anthony Perkins (eerily channeling the spirit of Norman Bates); the brash and bawdy Lauren Bacall; John Gielgud at his haughty and condescending best; a radiant Vanessa Redgrave; Wendy Hiller as a mummified Russian Princess; a temper-prone Sean Connery; and many others, each of whom is given their special chance to shine. Ingrid Bergman won the Supporting Oscar for her performance as a mousy, religiously obsessed missionary in this film; but truly, every member of the cast performs at the same high caliber as she.
The DVD presentation of this film is acceptable overall, although there are some minor visual glitches and artifacts during the opening credit sequence that tend to make one leery until the action begins to unfold. The Original Theatrical Trailer has deteriorated badly, but is still a welcome inclusion to the Special Features section. The DVD extras also include a short feature on author Christie; and four new mini-documentaries on the making of the film, featuring recent interviews with director Lumet and surviving cast members such as Sean Connery, Jacqueline Bisset and Michael York.
Perhaps the true test of a great screen mystery involves the question of whether or not, once the film has been viewed and the solution is no longer a potential surprise, the movie is worth watching again for a second or third time or more. "Murder on the Orient Express", because of its impeccable production values and the consummate skill with which it was acted and filmed, is just such a movie.
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| Rating | | | Date | March 31, 2005 | | Summary | Simply the Best | Content
| This is simply the best movie version of an already wonderfull book. David Suchet is the difinitive Poriot and Peter Ustinov does well in Evil under the Sun and Death on the Nile but Albert Finnet was perfect for this role in this film. Anyone who has read the novel and sees this film will not be disappointed- this from an avid Christie fan. |
| Rating | | | Date | January 14, 2005 | | Summary | Great Movie | Content
| The cast assembled for this movie is perhaps the greatest gathering of big name Hollywoods stars on one set. And the final product reflects this. The sets are exquisite and authentic looking, but the acting is the most notable aspect of this movie.
I've put the performers in order from best to worst ... as I saw it.
1. Albert Finney (Hercule Poirot) - Excellent excellent performance. You can't tell it's Albert Finney, and I think he wanted it this way. And he loses himself in the part. Just a great great job.
2. Ingrid Bergman (Greta Ohlsson) - She is arguably the best actress of all time. The only other actress (that I see) who comes close (and perhaps surpasses her) is Meryl Streep. Small part here for her, but she makes the best of it. The interrogation scene, a 7 or 8 minute effort that was made in a single cut, won her the academy award. And for those who can see it, her efforts include a healthy dosage of female wiles. Few performers wanted the audience's attention more desperately than Ingrid, and she uses all the tools at her disposal here ... and it won her the Oscar.
3. Martin Balsam (Signor Bianchi) - Great job as the Orient Express stockholder. Perhaps the pressure was off Martin because of the fire-power around him, because he gives us a solid, believable, and likable characterization.
4. Jean-Pierre Cassel (French Conductor) - Great performance here ... especially after we learn the facts of the case. A foreigner in a star-studded American cast, he more than stands his ground ... with a subtle and effective style of acting.
5. Wendy Hiller (Princess Dragomiroff) - Great job ... delightful in her delivery and most believable as the aging princess.
6. Sir John Gielgud (Mr. Beddoes) - This was a perfect fit for John Gielgud - a prim and proper butler with a wry sense of humor - and he does a spledid job with it.
7. Jacqueline Bissett (Countess Andrenyi) - A top Hollywood beauty at that time, Jacqueline shows that she is more than just a pretty face. She hangs in there throughout the entire picture (among her more celebrated co-workers) and stands fairly tall (among them) when it is all over.
8. Vanessa Redgrave (Mary Debeuham) - Not a big serious role for Vanessa, and she seems to enjoy herself on the set ... giving a light flirty performance ... as was perhaps expected of her.
9. Rachel Roberts (Hildegarde) - Good solid effort here by Rachel ... an effective convincing job as Wendy Hiller's maid.
10. Sean Connery (Colonel Arbuthuot) - Sean Connery has this "greater than thou" attitude that he carries into all his pictures ... and a lot of people buy into it ... but just looking at his acting ability, it's not that great. Not terrible, but definately not as good as he thinks it is.
11. Denis Quilley (Antonio Foscarelli) - Good job, believable characterization as the Italian chauffeur. Funny too.
12. Anthony Perkins (Hector MacQueen) - This is an up and down performance in a role that plays (or should play) right into Anthony Perkins' specialty.
13. Richard Widmark (Cassetti) - This role is a small one, but is very important because it is the bad guy ... a truly sinister evil person. And Richard Widmark does not do a convincing job. It is almost as if he does little more than recite his lines.
14. Lauren Bacall (Mrs. Hubbard) - A terrible and annoying performance. While most everyone around her is giving a well studied performance, Lauren breezes through the picture with a loud voice and little or no effort exerted. Ann Bancroft would have been a better choice for this part.
15. Michael York (Count Andrenyi) - Not a terrible job ... maybe a bit too much push on the sophistication and aristocracy.
16. Colin Blakely (Mr. Hardman) - very small role, he gets squeezed out by the fire power around him, does OK with it though.
That's it. Like I said, a great movie ... one that holds up well under repeated viewing.
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